Portable self-contained cooler/freezer

ABSTRACT

A transportable container (500) for carrying refrigerated products in frozen subzero Fahrenheit (below -18° C.) or refrigerated (for example, 40° F. (4° C.) temperatures) includes a structural container (512) having an insulated outer shell with an access doorway (521). The upper potion of the container (500) includes a tray or drawer in which are disposed a pair of spaced apart canisters containing liquid refrigerant (CO 2 , for example). A gas or liquid feeder tube penetrates each bottle and communicates with an on/off valve. A feeder tube can draw liquid to dispense for cooling, or it can release gas and pressure within the canister to boil the CO 2 . When CO 2  reaches its boiling point, the canister, its brackets, and the cold plate reach very cold temperatures to cool the cargo area through conduction. The gas is released through an injection nozzle into the cargo holding area.

This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.08/222,425, filed 1 Apr. 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,908 and acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/905,791,filed Jun. 29, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,579, and acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/602,856,filed Oct. 23, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,237, and acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/493,298,filed Mar. 14, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,402, and a continuation inpart of Ser. No. 343,025, filed Apr. 24, 1989 (now abandoned) and acontinuation in part of Ser. No. 119,702, filed Nov. 12, 1987, now U.S.Pat. No. 4,825,666, all incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to portable controlled-temperature (suchas frozen and/or refrigerated) containers having self-contained coolingsystems.

2. General Background

Many truck lines use refrigerated trucks to carry food products overlong distances. The present invention is an economical substitute forrefrigerated trucks when less than a full truckload of refrigerated orfrozen cargo is to be transported. For more background on thisinvention, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,237.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention solves the problems and shortcomings of the priorart in a simple straightforward manner by providing an improved portabletransportable refrigeration system for use on common carrier type trucklines, airplanes, and boats, for example.

The apparatus disclosed herein comprises a self-supporting containerhaving an interior for carrying refrigerated or frozen or othercontrolled-temperature cargo and adapted to be lifted by a forklift or acrane means, or both. Thus, the container of the present invention is aversatile container which can be used on trucks, airplanes, and boats,enabling a shipper of frozen or refrigerated cargo to use the samecontainer whether it is shipping via ground, air, or sea, or somecombination of one or more of these methods.

The present specification discusses a strap lifting system which allowsthe container to be easily lifted with a crane. For detailed informationabout the functioning of the refrigeration system of the presentinvention, please see the prior Saia and Saia et al. patents and patentapplications which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention comprises apparatus for shippingcontrolled-temperature cargo in an unrefrigerated cargo area of asubstantially larger transport vehicle, vessel, or aircraft. Theapparatus of the present invention preferably comprises a containerhaving an interior area with a volume to be loaded with frozen and/orrefrigerated and/or other controlled-temperature cargo with an accessopening that can be opened and closed, self-containedtemperature-control means in the container for maintaining a desiredpreselected preset refrigerated or frozen temperature range within thecontainer interior, and lifting means attached to the container forallowing the container to be picked up by a crane means by attaching thecrane means to the lifting means.

The lifting means is preferably attached to the container in such amanner as to balance the container when the crane means is attached at asingle point to the lifting means. Preferably, the container has a baseplate having two spaced apart, parallel slots adapted to be engaged by aforklift lifting device.

The container preferably includes a top, side walls, and a bottom, andthe lifting means preferably includes lifting eyes attached to thebottom of the container, strap means attached to the lifting eyes andextending above the top of the container when the container is upright,and spreader bars attached to the top of the container for substantiallypreventing contact between the side walls of the container and the strapmeans, the strap means contacting the spreader bars. Preferably, thestrap means are joined together at a point above the top of thecontainer to enable the container to be picked up by a crane meansattached to the lifting means at the point. Also, the spreader barspreferably have inner and outer ends and include rollers adjacent theouter ends, providing a low-friction connection between the strap meansand the spreader bars.

The lifting means is preferably certified for a maximum weight capacityof double the weight of the container when it is fully loaded withproduct.

The method of the present invention comprises a method of shippingrefrigerated or frozen perishable goods in an unrefrigerated area of avessel having a cargo holding area. The method preferably comprises thesteps of placing the perishable goods into a structural container thatcan be placed in the cargo holding area of the vessel; cooling theperishable goods by dispensing a liquid refrigerant from one or moreliquid refrigerant containing canisters that are transported within thecontainer; using a valve to dispense liquid refrigerant coolant from thecanisters; controlling temperature within the container interior area bya control of the degree of opening of the valve; and transferring thecontainer to and from the vessel with a crane means by attaching thecrane means to a lifting means which is permanently attached to thecontainer. The lifting means is preferably attached to the container insuch a manner as to balance the container when the crane means isattached at a single point to the lifting means.

The method of the present invention preferably comprises the additionalstep of moving the container around the vessel with a forklift.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigeratedtransport device including means to facilitate lifting of the device bya crane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the invention can be had when the detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment set forth below is considered inconjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the apparatus of the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, with the lifting straps shown in the positionthey assume when the main lifting shackle is attached to a lifting cable(not shown) of a crane (not shown);

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus of the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, with the lifting straps shown in the positionthey assume when the main lifting shackle is attached to a lifting cable(not shown) of a crane (not shown);

FIG. 3 is a top view of the apparatus of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a detail of the apparatus of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the apparatus of the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, with the lifting straps shown in the positionthey assume when the main lifting shackle is not attached to a liftingcable of a crane; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of the apparatus of the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, with the lifting straps shown in the positionthey assume when the main lifting shackle is not attached to a liftingcable of a crane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following is a list of elements of the present invention:

19 spaced apart recesses

20 spaced apart recesses

500 apparatus of the preferred embodiment of the present invention

512 container

513 upper surface of container 512

514 side wall of container 512

515 side wall of container 512

516 side wall of container 512

517 side wall of container 512

518 bottom portion of container 512

521 door of container 512

522 closure latch

533 gas inlet to allow container 512 to be preliminarily cooled with anexternal gas supply or to be used to fill the cylinders containingrefrigerant

535 microprocessor based temperature controller to set temperature incontainer 512

537 door over control panel 535

539 door covering a compartment for shipping instructions, bills oflading, etc.

541 stainless steel angles along edges of sides of container 512

542 stainless steel angles along top edges of container 512

543 stainless steel scuff plates along sides of container 512

550 strap lifting system

551 lifting eyes

552 3" (7.6 cm) aluminum channel spreader bar riveted to stainless steelangles 541

553 3" (7.6 cm) aluminum channel spreader bars riveted to stainlesssteel angles 541

554 3/16" (0.48 cm) aluminum plate welded to spreader bars 552, 553

555 2" (5.1 cm) diameter polyurethane rollers riveted onto spreader bars552, 553

556 3" (7.6 cm) by 11' (3.4 m) nylon web slings attaching lift eyes 551to nylon strap 557

557 3" (7.6 cm) by 4' (1.2 m) nylon web sling attaching together slings556

558 main lifting shackle

559 shackles attached to lifting eyes 551

560 openings in bars 552 and 553

The apparatus of the preferred embodiment of the present invention,container apparatus 500, is shown in FIGS. 1-6. Container apparatus 500includes a container 512 and a strap lifting system 550. A lockable door521 allows access to the interior of container 512. As was mentionedearlier, the refrigeration system inside container 512 can be the sameas that disclosed, for example, in the prior Saia and Saia et al.patents and applications mentioned earlier.

In FIGS. 1-6, there can be seen an enlarged rectangular transportablebox-like container 512 having an upper surface 513 (see FIG. 3) and aplurality of side walls 514, 515, 516, 517 forming an enclosure with abottom portion 518 of the container 512. The bottom portion 518 includesa pair of spaced apart recesses 19, 20, for example, which can be usedto form a connection with the tines of a fork lift so that the container512 can be easily moved and transported about, such as during unloadingor loading of trucks or airplanes.

Container 512 includes a plurality of stainless steel angles 541, onealong each edge of the sides of container 512 and a plurality ofstainless steel angles 542 along the top edges of container 512. Thereis a stainless steel plate 543 along the lower portion of each side ofcontainer 512. Plates 543 help prevent container 512 from being damagedby fork lift tines and angles 541 help prevent container 512 from beingdamaged by direct blows; the angles 541 allow the container to take aglancing blow, as freight is moved in and out of trailers.

The present invention also includes a lifting means for easily liftingcontainer 512 with a crane. The lifting means includes a strap liftingsystem 550 including four lifting eyes 551, spreader bars 552 and 553,and strap means comprising nylon web slings 556 and 557.

There is a gas inlet 533 to allow the cylinders in container 512 to befilled by an external gas supply and, by changing the position of a ballvalve (not shown), to preliminarily cool the container 512 with theexternal gas supply to conserve the gas supply inside container 512. Amicroprocessor based temperature controller 535 is used to set thetemperature in container 512. There is a door 537 over control panel535. A door 539 covers the bill of lading compartment.

There are four lifting eyes 551, one welded to the bottom 518 ofcontainer 512 at each lower corner. There is a shackle 559 attached toeach of the lifting eyes 551.

A 3" (7.6 cm) aluminum channel spreader bar 552 is riveted to stainlesssteel angles 541 and welded to a 3/16" (0.48 cm) aluminum plate 554. Two3" (7.6 cm) aluminum channel spreader bars 553 are likewise riveted tostainless steel angles 541 and welded to plate 554. Two-inch diameterpolyurethane rollers 555 are riveted onto spreader bars 552, 553,adjacent the outer ends thereof.

Nylon web slings 556, preferably 3" (7.6 cm) by 11' (3.4 m), attachshackles 559 to nylon web sling 557. Nylon web slings 556 pass throughopenings 560 in bars 552 and 553 and rest against the outer edge ofrollers 555. Openings 560 are large enough to allow slings 556 to passtherethrough without rubbing on anything but rollers 555. Nylon websling 557, preferably 3" (7.6 cm) by 4' (1.2 m), attaches slings 556together above the top of container 512. A main lifting shackle 558 isconnected to the top of nylon web sling 557. Container 512 is lifted byattaching the cable from a crane to shackle 558.

The rollers 555 at the end of each spreader bar 552 and 553 provideguidance for nylon web slings 556. Rollers 555 provide a practicallyfrictionless point of contact between slings 556 and bars 552 and 553,reducing frictional wear of slings 556 to an absolute minimum.

Spreader bars 552 and 553 and rollers 555 keep slings 556 in place andprevent slings 556 from putting pressure on walls 513, 514, 515, and516, which could cause a wall to give in.

Preferably, the strap lifting system 550 is certified for a maximumweight capacity of double the weight of container 512 fully loaded withproduct.

Thus, the present invention provides a method of transportingrefrigerated products in a self-contained temperature-controlledcontainer which has means to allow the container to quickly and easilybe moved with a crane.

In operation, the container 512 is filled with the product to betransported therein. The desired temperature is set on themicroprocessor based temperature controller 535 (after lifting door 537to gain access thereto), and an external source of gas (not shown) isconnected to fill nipple or gas inlet 533 and is used to fill thecylinders with cryogen as well as preliminarily cool the interior ofcontainer 512. The lifting cable from a crane or other similar liftingdevice is then attached to shackle 558, and the crane or other similarlifting device lifts container 512. Once moved, for example, from a dockto a ship, a fork lift can be used to move container 512 around theship. Offshore, another crane, or the crane on the ship or boat, can beused to transfer container 512 to another ship or an offshore oilplatform. Thus, container 512 has the advantage of being usable not onlyon trucks or airplanes, for example, but can quickly and easily betransported onto a ship or boat.

Container 512 preferably does not exceed 120 inches (3.05 m) in anydimension, more preferably does not exceed 100 inches (2.54 m) in anydimension, and most preferably does not exceed 90 inches (2.3 m) in anydimension.

To allow container 512 to be easily used in either trucks or on ships,container 512 preferably does not exceed 106 inches (2.69 m) in height(the height of the tallest trailer in commercial use of which applicantsare aware), 84 inches (2.1 m) in width, and 96 inches (2.4 m) in depth,more preferably does not exceed 100 inches (2.54 m) in height, 72 inches(1.8 m) in width, and 84 inches (2.1 m) in depth, and even morepreferably does not exceed 90 inches (2.3 m) in height, 60 inches (1.5m) in width, and 72 inches (1.8 m) in depth. Most preferably, container512 does not exceed 82 inches (2.1 m) in height, 48 inches (1.2 m) inwidth, and 70 inches (1.78 m) in depth to allow it to easily betransported by a forklift and to allow two containers 512 to fitside-by-side in a standard dry container trailer (typically 96 inches(2.4 m) in width). The preferred width is about 47 inches (1.2 m), asthen container 512 is about as wide as it can be and still fitside-by-side in a standard dry container trailer without being too tighta fit. Exemplary dimensions for container 512 are 82 inches (2.1 m) inheight, 47 inches (1.2 m) in width, and 68.5 inches (1.7 m) in depth.These are preferably the dimensions which container 512 has when thelength of slings 556 are 11 feet (3.4 m) long and sling 557 is 4 feet(1.2 m) long. Container 512 can have a capacity, for example, of 72.3cubic feet (2,047 liters).

It is preferable for slings 556 and 557 to be long enough to enable themain lifting shackle 558 to hang over the side of the container 512 whenthe container 512 is not being lifted by the main lifting shackle 558.The reason for this is that in an offshore environment, the seas arefrequently rough and it is difficult to connect a crane lifting cable toa lifting shackle on a container. The present invention is advantageousin that one can grasp the main lifting shackle 558 (as it hangs over theside of the container 512) and the lifting cable of the crane and easilyconnect them. Both the length of the slings and their flexibilitycontribute to the facility of connecting the lifting cable of the craneand the main lifting shackle 558.

Side walls 514-517 are preferably covered with stainless steel to enablethem to withstand the harsh, often corrosive conditions and roughhandling present in an offshore environment.

In view of the numerous modifications which could be made to thepreferred embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the scopeor spirit of the present invention, the details herein are to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:
 1. Apparatus for shipping controlled-temperature cargo in anunrefrigerated cargo area of a substantially larger transport vehicle,vessel, or aircraft, comprising:a) a container having an interior areawith a volume to be loaded with frozen and/or refrigerated and/or othercontrolled-temperature cargo with an access opening that can be openedand closed; b) at least one refrigerant tank mounted in the containerfor containing a cryogenic liquified refrigerant under pressure to beutilized for cooling the container interior; c) discharge piping meansfor piping refrigerant from the tanks; d) valve means communicating withthe discharge piping for valving the flow of refrigerant that isdischarged from the tank; e) temperature responsive controller means foropening the valve means to dispense liquified refrigerant from the tanksin order to maintain a desired preselected preset refrigerated or frozentemperature range within the container interior; and f) lifting meansattached to the container for allowing the container to be picked up bya crane means by attaching the crane means to the lifting means.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifting means is attached to thecontainer in such a manner as to balance the container when the cranemeans is attached at a single point to the lifting means.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, further comprisingg) an undercarriage portion atthe lower end of the container that includes moving means fortransporting the container quickly to and from the cargo area of anunrefrigerated vehicle, vessel, or aircraft having a substantiallylarger volume than the container volume.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the container has a base plate having two spaced apart, parallelslots adapted to be engaged by a forklift lifting device.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the container includes a top, side walls,and a bottom, and the lifting means includes:(i) lifting eyes attachedto the bottom of the container; (ii) strap means attached to the liftingeyes and extending above the top of the container when the container isupright; and (iii) spreader bars attached to the top of the containerfor substantially preventing contact between the side walls of thecontainer and the strap means, the strap means contacting the spreaderbars.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the strap means are joinedtogether at a point above the top of the container to enable thecontainer to be picked up by a crane means attached to the lifting meansat the point.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the spreader barshave inner and outer ends and include rollers adjacent the outer ends,providing a low-friction connection between the strap means and thespreader bars.
 8. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a mainlifting shackle attached to the strap means to enable the container tobe lifted by a crane, and wherein the strap means are long enough toenable the main lifting shackle to hang over the side of the containerwhen the container is not being lifted by the main lifting shackle. 9.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifting means is certified for amaximum weight capacity of double the weight of the container when it isfully loaded with product.
 10. Apparatus for shippingcontrolled-temperature cargo in an unrefrigerated cargo area of asubstantially larger transport vehicle, vessel, or aircraft,comprising:a) a container having an interior area with a volume to beloaded with frozen and/or refrigerated and/or othercontrolled-temperature cargo with an access opening that can be openedand closed; b) at least one refrigerant tank mounted in the containerfor containing a cryogenic liquified refrigerant under pressure to beutilized for cooling the container interior; c) discharge piping forpiping refrigerant from the tanks; d) a valve communicating with thedischarge piping for valving the flow of refrigerant that is dischargedfrom the tank; e) a temperature responsive controller for opening thevalve to dispense liquified refrigerant from the tanks in order tomaintain a desired preselected preset refrigerated or frozen temperaturerange within the container interior; and f) a lifting system attached tothe container for allowing the container to be picked up by a crane byattaching the crane to the lifting system.
 11. The apparatus of claim10, wherein the lifting system is attached to the container in such amanner as to balance the container when the crane is attached at asingle point to the lifting system.
 12. The apparatus of claim 10,further comprisingg) an undercarriage portion at the lower end of thecontainer that includes forklift recesses for transporting the containerquickly to and from the cargo area of an unrefrigerated vehicle, vessel,or aircraft having a substantially larger volume than the containervolume.
 13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the container has a baseplate having two spaced apart, parallel slots adapted to be engaged by aforklift lifting device.
 14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein thecontainer includes a top, side walls, and a bottom, and the liftingsystem includes:(i) lifting eyes attached to the bottom of thecontainer; (ii) straps attached to the lifting eyes and extending abovethe top of the container when the container is upright; and (iii)spreader bars attached to the top of the container for substantiallypreventing contact between the side walls of the container and thestraps, the straps contacting the spreader bars.
 15. The apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein the straps are joined together at a point above thetop of the container to enable the container to be picked up by a craneattached to the lifting system at the point.
 16. The apparatus of claim14, wherein the spreader bars have inner and outer ends and includerollers adjacent the outer ends, providing a low-friction connectionbetween the straps and the spreader bars.
 17. The apparatus of claim 14,further comprising a main lifting shackle attached to the straps toenable the container to be lifted by a crane, and wherein the straps arelong enough to enable the main lifting shackle to hang over the side ofthe container when the container is not being lifted by the main liftingshackle.
 18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the lifting system iscertified for a maximum weight capacity of double the weight of thecontainer when it is fully loaded with product.